Pocket lighter



APIvil 7, 1953 J. E. lFEfTn-:Rscml 2,633,723

POCKET LIGHTER Filed oct. 5. 1949 Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POCKET LIGHTER John 1E. Peterson, Milford, Conn., assigner to The Waterbury Lock da Specialty Company, Milford,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 5, 1949 Serial N o. 119,581

.1 Claim.

The present .invention Irelates in general to illuminating burners and more especially to pocket-lighters .of the type having-a pyrophoric element for igniting a wick.

An object vof the :invention is lto prov-ide a pocket-.lighter -of vdurable 4and inexpensive construction and one which .is easy and natural -to operate.

A :further object vof the invention is to provide a pocket-lighter with superior operating-means characterized by a, Acompound movement `,comparable to the Inatural movement of the operators thumb when igniting the lighter.

With the -above and .other objects in view, as wi-llvappear `to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel fover the prior art.

In the -accompany-ingdrawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are .shown lfor VVillustrative purposes:

Fig.. 1 is a side elevation of a pocket-lighter embodying the improved operating-means of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation partly .in section ofthe lighter of Fig. l, :showing the operating-means of the lighter in its normalposition; l

Eig. 3 is a `iragn-ientary enlarged side elevation partly in section -of the lighter of Fig. 1, showing the operating-means inthe position it assumes upon ignition of the wick;

Fig. l4v 'is anenlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section :on line yfl--li .-of Fig. f2;

Fig. 5 fis Yan enlarged fragmentary transverse 'vertical sectionlon line 5--5 vof Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 -a perspective view Aof the .base-member of the operating-unit -of the pocket-lighter.; and

Fig. '7 vis an enlarged perspective view aof the lost-motion link of the linkage-means of the finger-piece.v l

The inventio-nis embodied in a .pocket-lighter indicated generally lat I-.0 and Acomprising a fluidiuel receptacleji having a bottom t2 anda Atop 13.-, the lbottom being provided with a filling-plug The top I3 is vprovided `adjacent one end with -a substantially-vertical aperture in which is secured a wick-holder I5 characterized by an enlarged head I6 and adapted to support a wick .II-TI, the lower endetr which extends -dovvn into :the body of the receptaclathe upper end ofthe wick projecting `above theenlargei head of the holder.

K A second ,substantially-vertical aperture is provided the top -I-3 of lthe receptacle throng-h which the upper end 0f :a tube i8 projects. :The

tube I8 is provided for supporting a pyrophoric `element .I 9 in proximity to the wick Il' and to this end, the lower end of the tube I3 is secured to the bottom I2 of the receptacle over an .aperture therein which is normally closed by -a screw-plug (not shown). Mounted within the tube i8 is a coil spring 20, the upper end of which supports the pyrophoric element I9, the length and force of the spring 26 being so selected that the upper end of the pyrophoric element is resiliently supported labove the upper end of the tube i8.

As in lighters of `this type, the pyrophoric element ,I9 is adapted to be vurged by the force `of the spring 20 upwardly against the periphery `of van abr-adant wheel which is indicated at 2l and which is adapted to be rotated in a clockwise `direction as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, by manuallyoperated means hereinafter described, to cause a shower of sparks to jump across the intervening space between the pyrophoric element I9 vand the upper exposed end of the wick I'I to ignite the latter. Y

To these ends, the invention embodies an operating-unit which is arranged to be secured to the top of the receptacle and which includes the abradent wheel `2| and the operating-means therefor. operating-unit embodies a substantially-rectanguiar base-member 22 which is formed preferably from relatively-stiff sheet-metal stock :and cansists of a bottom 23, an upturned end wall 2d and upturned side walls 25-25, the latter being provided kat their left-,hand ends as seen in Figs. 2., .3 and, .and hereinafter referred to as the forward .end of the base-member, with .integra-l yupwardly-extending ears 2t-26 having axiallyaligned ybearing-apertures .ETI-2l extending transversely rtherethrough for supporting -a bearing-sleeve .28 of the abradant wheel, the outwardly-extending Vends of the bearing-sleeve 28 constituting journals rotatably vmounted in the bear'ing-apertures -21-21 of the ears Z55-2.6. A vertical aperture B is provided in the bottom 23 of the base-member between its upstanding ears VA25-26 for accommodating the upwardly-projecting end Yof the pyrophoric-element supportingtube `I8 when the base-member 22 is assembled on the top I3 of the receptacle, as hereinafter described.

An anchor 31| is provided in the :bottom 23 `of the lbase-member yadjacent the vertical aperture 30 and substantially coincident :with v,the 'longirtudi-nal axis of the base-member, an anchor 3 being formed preferably by cutting `two longitudinal ysubstantially-parallel slots in the bottom v23 Referring especially to Fig. 18, thel of the base-member, each slot intersecting an edge of the vertical aperture 30; and then bending up the free end of the elongated finger of metal formed between the slots. A second anchor 32 is provided in the bottom 23 of the basemember adjacent the right-hand end thereof, as seen in Fig. 6, which end is hereinafter referred to as the rear end of the base-member, and substantially in alignment with the anchor 3l, the second anchor 32 also comprising an elongated finger of metal bent up from the slotted bottom 23 of the base-member. The anchor 32 is, however, somewhat longer than the anchor 3l. Moreover, its free end faces in the opposite direction from that of the anchor 3| and .is bent downward slightly to form a hook.

A pair of vertically internally-threaded apertures are provided in the bottom 23 of the basemember between the two anchors 3i and 32 to receive the externally-threaded Shanks of a pair of assembling-screws 34-34 by which the basemember is secured to the top of the receptacle, the screws being screwed into the apertures of the base-member from the underside of the top I3 of the receptacle prior to securing the latter on the upper open end thereof.

The aforesaid operating-means of the operating-unit comprises a manually-operated lingerpiece indicated generally at 35, linkage-means including a wick-snuffer indicated generally at 35 and a lost-motion link 31 for supporting the ringer-piece for compound movement with respect to the base-member 22; pawl-and-ratchet means for transmitting movement of the linkage-means to the abradant wheel; and resilient means comprising a coil spring 38 for resiliently holding the finger-piece in its normal position with respect to the wick, as shown in'Fig. 2.

Referring especially to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the

ringer-piece 35 is a rectangular sheet-metal member substantially U-shaped in cross section and embodying a top 33, a rear end wall 4i), and oppositely-disposed side walls 4I-4I, the latter being provided at their forward ends with integral tapered extensions 42-42 offset laterally therefrom and having transverse axially-aligned apertures 43-43. As illustrated especially well in Figs. 4 and 5, the width of the linger-piece 35 is such that its side walls lll-4I are adapted to telescope over the upstanding side walls 25-25 of the base-member 22.

The aforesaid wick-snuffer 36 is likewise a rectangular sheet-metal member substantially U- shaped in cross section, but shorter than the finger-piece 35. Moreover, the wick-snuffer is provided with an inverted cup-shaped snufting element 44, which is soldered orY otherwise secured within the snuifer against its front end wall 45, the lower open end of the snuiing element 44 projecting downwardly slightly below the bottom edges of the side walls 46--46 of the wick-snuffer. As shown especially well in Fig. 2, the inside diameter of the snufling element 44 is of such size that when it is in its normal operating position as shown in Fig. 2, it will engage freely over the wick I1 and make a substantiallyairtight seal with the enlarged head IB of the wick-holder I5, so as to snui out a lighted wick.

The side walls 46--45 of the wick-snuffel* are provided adjacent their rear ends with two sets of axially-aligned apertures, one set of apertures 41-41 being adjacent the lower rear end corners respectively of the side walls 46-46 and adapted to accommodate pivotal-means constituting the outwardly-projecting ends 48-.48 of a screw 49 which extends through the bearing-sleeeve or axis 28 of the abradant wheel, one end of the screw being threadedly engaged in the aperture 41 in the corresponding side wall of the wicksnuft'er to secure the latter in its assembled position on the upstanding ears 26--25 of the basemember.

4extension l2-42 permitting the latter to telescope over the respective side walls 45-46 of the wick-snuffer, as shown especially well in Fig. 5.

It Will be clear that in accordance with this construction, the side walls 46-46 of the snuiier constitute, in effect, lever-arms or links pivotally connected between the extensions 42-42 Aat the forward end of the linger-piece and the pivotalmeans 48--48 of the abradant wheel.

The rear end ofthe finger-piece is connected with the top of the receptacle by the aforesaid lost-motion link 31 which, as shown especially well in Figs. 2, 3 and 7, comprises a substantially Y-shaped member formed preferably of fiat metal. stock, the bifurcated arms 52-52 of which have laterally-spaced axially-aligned cylindrical bear- -ring-sleeves 53-53 at the upper outer ends thereof extending substantially transversely of the longitudinal axis of the link. The opposite or lower end of the link is provided with a longitudinal substantially-rectangular aperture 54, the width of whichris only slightly greater than the width of the hook-shaped anchor 32 ofthe base-member so that the apertured end of the link may be engaged thereon, but with substantially no lateral play. The length of the aperture 54 of the linkis, however, considerably greater than the thickness of the hook-shaped anchor 32, as a consequence of which the link has considerable freedom of movement longitudinally with respect thereto for effecting a lost-motion connection therewith, as and for the purposes hereinafter described. To connect the lost-motion link 31 to the finger-piece 35, the upper end of the link is inserted up into the finger-piece and is pivotally connected thereto by a transverse pivot-pin 55, which, as shown especially well in Fig. 4, extends through axially-aligned apertures 56-56 formed in the side walls lll- 4i ofthe finger-piece adjacent its rear end Vwall 4t; and through the axially-aligned bearing-sleeves 53-53 of the link 31, one end of the pivot-pin 55 being threadedly secured in the aperture 56 in the corresponding side wall of the finger-piece.

Secured to the pivot-pin 55 intermediate the bearing-sleeves 53--53 of the link 31, is the upper end of the coil spring 38, the opposite end of which is secured to the forward anchor 3l of the base-member, the coil spring thus constitut-s ing resilient means, the force of which acts constantly in a direction to pull the finger-piece forwardly and to resist displacement of the fin* ger-piece rearwardly.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that the finger-piece 35 is supported by 1inkage meanscomprising the lost-motion link 31 and the lever-arms or side walls 46'-46 of the wicksnuffer, the pivoted lost-motion link 31 and the pivoted lever-arms 4th-4B coacting with the finger-piece to permit the latter, initially, to move substantially longitudinally rearwardly away from the wick and thereafter to pull the fingerpiece downwardly. Thus, upon pressing down the finger-piece, the linkage-means thereof will cause the finger-piece to move both rearwardly and downwardly with respect to the wick, which compound movement corresponds substantially to the natural movement of the operators thumb when .actuating the nger-piece to ignite the wick. On releasing the finger-piece, the force of the tensioned spring 38, acting in conjunction with the linkage-means pulls the finger-piece upwardly and forwardly to its normal position with respect to the wick.

The aforesaid rearward and downward displacement of the finger-piece is adapted to be transmitted by pawl-and-ratchet means to the abradant wheel to rotate the latter in a clockwise direction as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, and relative to the pyrophoric element i9 to produce a shower of sparks for igniting the Wick I1. To this end, a thin spring-metal substantially-tongueshaped paWl-rnember 5l is rotatably mounted adjacent its lower rounded end on the bearingsleeve 23 of the abradant wheel between the inner face of one of the upstanding ears 26 of the basemember and the abradant wheel, the corresponding outer face of which is provided with radial ratchet-teeth 58, as shown especially well in Fig. 5, adapted to be engaged by a laterally-offset pawl-tooth 59 of the pawl-member 51. The upper substantially-straight edge 6E! of the pawl-mernber is adapted to engage snugly against the underside of the top of the pivoted wick-snuffer 36 to prevent rotation of the pawl-member relative thereto. Hence, upon operation of the fingerpiece, the resulting clockwise pivotal movement of the wick-snuifer will simultaneously rotate the pawl-member 5l clockwise about the bearingsleeve or axis of the abradant wheel, thereby engaging the laterally-offset pawl-tooth 53 of the 4pawl-member with one of the ratchet-teeth 58 of the abradant wheel and rotating the latter relative to the pyrophoric element to produce a shower of sparks for igniting the wick. On the subsequent return of the finger-piece from its depressed position to its normal position, the wick-snuffer is pivoted counterclockwise, whereupon the pawl-tooth overrides the ratchet-teeth of the abradant wheel.

Assuming the elements of the lighter are assembled as shown and described herein, then it will be clear that by pressing down on the top of the finger-piece, the above-described linkagemeans thereof will cause the finger-piece to move both rearwardly and downwardly in a direction which compares favorably with the normal direction of movement of the operators thumb. As the finger-piece is so moved, the pivotal connections 5| of the nger-piece with the pivoted wicksnuffer serve to rotate the latter about the axis of the abradant wheel in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 2, thereby lifting the snufling element 44 of the snuffel' upwardly to uncover the upper end of the wick. Simultaneously, the pawltooth of the wick-snuffel` engages, a ratchet-tooth 58 of the abradant wheel to rotate the latter relative to the pyrophoric element i9, whereupon a shower of sparks is delivered onto the wick to ignite the latter. After the lighter has been used to lighta cigarette, cigar, or the like, the operator releases the finger-piece, whereupon the force of the tensioned spring acting in conjunction with the linkage-means of the finger-piece, pulls the latter upwardly and forwardly to its normal position. During the upward and forward movement of the ringer-piece, the wick-snuier is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, thereby to bring the snufling element M of the wick-snuffer down over the flaming wick, thereby sealing off the latter from the surrounding air so as to effectively snuif out the flame.V

From the foregoing description it will be clear that the operating-unit embodyingI the basemember, the finger-piece, the linkage and spring thereof, and the abradant wheel, is adapted to be assembled in a single operation on the top of the receptacle by means of the two assemblingscrews 34, and that in so doing, the abradant wheel is brought into operative engagement with the pyrophoric element of the receptacle and the snuiing element of the snuffer is brought into operative engagement with the wick. The pocket-lighter of this invention is, therefore, characterized by its simplicity of construction and assembly, as well as by its easy and natural mode of operation.

The invention may be carried out in other specii'lc ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are,therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claim are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

In a spark-ignition type lighter having a fuelreceptacle with a top, a fuel-conducting tube projecting outwardly from said receptacle-top, and sparking-mechanism on said receptacle-top in igniting relation with fuel from said tube, the combination of a bracket on said receptacle-top having an end-wall, opposite side-walls between which said sparking-mechanism extends, and a web provided between said side-walls and having a punched-out loop; a channel-shaped snuiferelement open at one end and closed at the other end and having opposite side-flanges and a connecting web of which the former are at said open end and in inverted channel disposition pivotally mounted on said bracket side-walls for turning movement of said element into and from operative position; an inverted channel-shaped handle-element open at one end and closed at the other end and having opposite side-flanges and a connecting web, the side-flanges of said elements being at said open ends thereof in overlapping relation with each other and pivotally connected eccentrically of the pivot mounting of said snuffer-element so that said elements together form a linear inverted channel closed at both ends and telescopically projecting externally over said bracket walls when said snuffer-element is in its operative position, and said snufferelement is turned from its operative position on depressing said handle-element toward said receptacle; a link between said bracket and handleelement being concealed by the side-walls of the former and the side-flanges of the latter, said link having at one end an eye through which eX- tends said loop of the bracket to constitute a floating ypivot connection between said bracket and link, the other end of said link being pivotally connected with said handle element in the channel thereof, and said link being adapted to guide said handle-element for compound rotary and bodily movement when depressing and rais- 7 ing the latter; and spring-meansconoeald-by said bracket side-Walls and the side-flanges of one of said elements and normally urging said handle-element into its raised position in which said snuffer-element is in its operative positon.

JOHN E. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Aronson Jan. 2, 1934 Holtzman July 24, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Aug'. 16, 1932 Great Britain Aug. 7, 1947 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1949 

